Introduction
Food is the most important commodity for human beings since it is necessary for survival. Human beings have, therefore, tried to ensure that they have food security in order to guarantee their continued existence. While modern-day society has the most efficient food production methods in the history of human civilization, global hunger continues to be an issue affecting many people all over the world. Some people blame global hunger on the human population explosion that has led to a doubling of the global population in less than five decades. However, food production rates have risen to meet population growth. This suggests that the problem of global hunger has other causes. In my opinion, gluttony has contributed significantly to the global hunger issue.
How Gluttony Explains the Persistence of Global Hunger
Gluttony results in waste as a few people consume food in excess. A traditional definition of gluttony is “excessive eating and drinking.” A single glutton will consume the food that is capable of sustaining a number of people. While the food resources of the world are adequate for the entire human population, the excessive indulgence by gluttons makes it impossible for the food to be consumed by every person. Gluttony, therefore, results in some people having an excess of food while others have little or none.
The lack of access to food by the worlds’ poorest is blamed on corruption and inefficiencies in the food delivery system. Corruption is caused by a desire to accumulate wealth and resources without concern for the other members of society. Gluttony contributes to the prevalence of corruption since it encourages the individual to amass material wealth and food for himself/herself. In some third world countries, food that is meant to assist the poor is diverted by corrupt individuals who want to benefit from its sale. The corruption fueled by the sin of gluttony leads to the denial of food resources to the poor leading to the global hunger issue.
Hoarding of food resources decreases access to the same by many people. This practice of hoarding is encouraged by gluttony, which compels individuals to amass food for themselves. In addition to this, gluttony tempts the person to withhold food from others. When an individual is involved in the accumulation of food for his personal consumption, other people are denied the chance to benefit from the food. Global hunger is, therefore, perpetuated since there is little food left in the supply system.
Gluttony makes it impossible for the world’s food resources to be utilized in a sustainable manner. Moderation is desirable for the sustainability of the resources that society has. Without moderation, we are likely to experience shortages. Gluttony does not promote sustainability because it leads to wastage and excessive consumption. The food resources of the world are limited, and if gluttony is practiced, they will not last for long. Some people will, therefore, be forced to incur hunger due to the excessive consumption of gluttons.
Gluttony is characterized by the development of a taste for luxurious and exotic foods that are very costly for the individual. The glutton develops a taste for the “finer foods” and is willing to spend great resources to secure these delicacies. This contributes to world hunger since resources are wasted producing these expensive delicacies because of their high market value. Instead of farmers dealing with affordable food products that will benefit the whole society, they specialize in the delicacies that will be bought for a higher amount by the glutton. Global hunger is, therefore, advanced due to this divergence of resources because of gluttony.
Why Global Hunger Exists
Global hunger exists in our society because we encourage the sin of gluttony and have even developed a culture of gluttony. This culture has contributed to more people engaging in the excessive consumption of food and drink. Sadly, gluttony is not only encouraged but also celebrated by our modern society.
People who overindulge in eating and drinking are praised instead of being ostracized by the community. In the past times, gluttony was shunned, and anyone perceived to be a glutton was scorned by society. This had a normalizing effect since people wanted to fit in with society. Without a negative public perception of gluttony, the sin of gluttony has continued to invade our society with negative consequences.
Gluttony has led to the expansion of inequality in society. This sin makes people unconcerned about the well being of their fellow men. Individuals are not likely to denounce social injustices that do not affect them directly since they are only interested in their own welfare. As such, social issues such as income inequality and corruption are ignored. These issues contribute markedly to hunger and famine issues around the world.
A society consumed by the sin of gluttony is unlikely to support social assistance schemes that are necessary to mitigate world hunger. Socially oriented programs are necessary to deal with world hunger since most people go hungry due to a lack of money to buy the available food. However, these social programs will come at a cost to the members of the society who own money or property. Since gluttony encourages selfishness, these individuals are likely to oppose such schemes. Without some form of the social program by the government, these individuals will continue to suffer from hunger.
Individuality has also contributed to the increase in global hunger in society. People are encouraged to achieve maximum benefits for themselves with little regard for the well being of others. Self-centeredness becomes the norm, and each person is heedless of his or her neighbors. By encouraging such values, society promotes gluttony.
Correcting this Injustice
There is enough food in the world to feed every person. However, global hunger continues to afflict many people all over the world. I have demonstrated that the sin of gluttony contributes to this social injustice of global hunger. Gluttony causes some to consume in excess, while others are left with nothing. Dealing with gluttony is, therefore, necessary if the world hunger issue is to be solved.
One of the ways through which gluttony can be contained is by encouraging people to give back to society. Since gluttons are unlikely to do this on their own accord, the society can set up a system that obligates every member to engage in charitable endeavors. For example, each household can be forced to give away a fraction of its net earnings. Such a move would help mitigate gluttony since this sin is based on holding on to one’s possessions. This measure would also promote the good nature of humankind and reduce gluttony.
The injustice of global hunger can be corrected by eradicating luxurious foods that are consumed for the pleasure of the gluttons. Society should take action against food establishments that deal in luxurious and exotic foods. As has been noted, these exotic foods are costly, and they divert resources from essential food production efforts. It is conceivable that if such food outlets did not exist, the food producers who deal with these luxurious products would revert to normal food production. Food availability would, therefore, increase, therefore reducing the problem of hunger.
The members of the society should actively discourage the sin of gluttony. Society should take up the practice of ostracizing people who engage in gluttony. By rejecting and excluding the individuals who are guilty of this sin, the society will encourage conformity to good behavior. This measure will also act as a deterrent to other people who might be considering becoming gluttons. A society that is free from gluttony will be promoted and the issue of global hunger will be mitigated because of this.
Conclusion
The issue of global hunger has led to the suffering and death of millions of people all over the world. Ensuring that global hunger is mitigated, and eventually eradicated, is a noble goal for society. Dealing with gluttony will offer the best chance for the world to deal with the injustice of global hunger. By addressing gluttony, it will be possible to distribute food in a more equitable manner to the world’s population. The wastages caused by gluttony will also be avoided making more food available.
The injustice of global hunger, which has plagued the world for centuries, will therefore be eradicated. This will ensure that every member of the society is able to lead a comfortable life devoid of the pains of hunger.